Neighbourhood feud erupts over mother’s solar-powered Christmas lights with fed up residents claiming the ‘tacky’ display is ruining their lives
- Katie Rayner decorated her home to please her son, five, who has autism
- Irate neighbours claimed the lights flashed relentlessly into their bedroom
- One neighbour claimed lights gave her child cardiac issues due to lack of sleep
- Ms Rayner said that outside lights were always off by 9.45pm
Angry residents have blasted a festive neighbour – claiming her garish Christmas decorations are ruining their lives.
Katie Rayner, from Brisbane, has decorated her home with a solar-powered Christmas light display for the past two years.
She claims she erected the lights so her autistic son Archie, five, could enjoy the ‘magic of Christmas’.
But last year the lights sparked a flurry of furious complaints from neighbours who say they are planning to protest again this year.
One woman, who did not want to be named, said the lights were ‘affecting’ her and her family.
‘They’re very tacky. Our bedrooms face her patio and she puts them all over so they flash non stop into our bedroom,’ she told the The Courier Mail.
‘They have no idea what it’s like to live next to this.’
Katie Rayner’s solar-powered Christmas lights sparked a neighbourhood feud last year
Last year Ms Rayner was forced to turn the lights off after 10pm after complaints sparked a visit from a council worker.
She said the outside lights were always off by 9.45pm and couldn’t understand why people were making complaints.
Mr Rayner explained the only lights kept on all night was the toilet light and the fairy lights on the Christmas tree.
A council worker said they were at a loss as to why the complaints kept rolling in, but suggested she turn off her Christmas tree lights because they’re a potential fire hazard.
Ms Rayner also received a complaint after she took the lights down and was shocked that her neighbours didn’t approached her directly.
Ms Rayner said she decorates her home so that her autistic son could enjoy the magic of Christmas
‘No-one said anything to me last year, they just went straight to council.’
To avoid further complaints this year, Ms Rayner tried to appeal to her neighbourhood with a friendly letter.
She let people know the solar-powered lights would be up from December 1 to January 3.
She also asked her neighbours to knock on the door and let her know if the lights became a problem.
Ms Rayner received donations for more lights after last year’s feud was made public.
While the lights are due to go up in two weeks, she said responses to the letter had been overwhelmingly positive so far.
A Brisbane City Council spokesperson said they received 10 complaints last year.